In Support of War

Or How the Anti-war Community Came to Love War

The earnest but essentially futile effort by the anti-war community over decades, even centuries, suggest a new approach is in order. Nothing is working. By using spoil-sport methods and banding about the dread Peace word, the message has fallen on deaf ears. What has been consistently overlooked is the propensity for young men and, alas, a few misguided young women, to be so convinced of personal immortality they cannot hear anything to the contrary. This elementary fact of life has enabled every army in history to exist.

To accomplish our purpose we must begin to glorify war; the uniforms, the comradery and feats of daring-do. We must speak constantly of the nobility of armed effort in behalf of ones country and family, ones friends and loved ones; we all know the language. But this talk must not come from the usual suspects. It must be noised about enthusiastically, nay zealously, by the anti-war community.

This 180 turn will not go unnoticed by the old guard supporters of the status quo.
Resentment will quickly follow astonishment as a rush to defend turf is sure to ensue. After all, who are the true believers here, and what are these usurpers up to anyway? When the cacophony builds and the jingoism crescendo reaches critical mass, and it will, the time will be ripe for the next step which is...

Compromise! Yes! That's the key. The anti-war folks agree to go back to the old stance if...
the establishment agrees to one small change in the Military Code. If they do this one thing, both sides return to the old position. Not such a big change, really, simply tweeking a number, that's all. Will they agree?

Do this and we have detente. Change the minimum age for entry into any of the armed services to thirty-five...and reinstate the draft! That's all. Then loose the dogs-of- war to your hearts content and the movement will shut up. That we promise, (our mission will be accomplished).